EditTbilisi purges pro-Western diplomats and civil servants in shift toward Moscow
A former Georgian diplomat argues that nearly two dozen specialists were dismissed, and a key NATO-Georgia cooperation unit was dissolved
Georgia’s state institutions are undergoing a profound transformation under the ruling Georgian Dream party, marking a deliberate shift away from the country’s long-standing Euro-Atlantic aspirations, according to former Georgian diplomat Megi Benya. Below is an edited version of her article, published by EUalive’s partner European Pravda.
For over three decades, Georgia’s civil service has been a cornerstone of its democratic transition and Western alignment. However, recent actions by the government signal a systematic effort to erode these institutional ties, raising concerns about the country’s geopolitical trajectory.
Since Georgia’s independence in 1991, its civil service has played a pivotal role in advancing NATO and EU integration, fostering strategic alliances, and bolstering national security. Generations of civil servants, navigating political shifts, have upheld the constitutional commitment to Western integration, as outlined in Article 78 of Georgia’s constitution. This resilience has been critical to maintaining the country’s sovereignty and global standing.
Systematic dismantling of institutions
“The so-called ‘reorganizations’ in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence are not about efficiency,” Benya argues. “They are part of a calculated campaign to punish loyalty to constitutional principles and sever Georgia’s institutional commitment to the West,” Benya writes.
Recent purges have targeted experienced diplomats and defence professionals. In the Ministry of Defence, nearly two dozen specialists were dismissed, and a key NATO-Georgia cooperation unit was dissolved.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs faced even harsher measures: by April 2024, over 40 diplomats, including senior officials, were sacked in Tbilisi and at embassies abroad. The NATO-EU Information Center, vital for countering anti-Western disinformation, was shuttered.
Departments critical to Euro-Atlantic integration have been dismantled or downgraded. The Directorate General for EU Integration was restructured into a generic European Affairs department, diluting its focus. The Annual National Program for NATO integration has been dismantled, with its functions reassigned to a small, unclearly authorised team. Specialised units handling cyber diplomacy, counterterrorism, arms control, and multilateral security have been replaced by vague structures like the “Security Policy Department.”
Relations with the Americas, Asia, and Africa have been consolidated into a single directorate, undermining strategic priorities outlined in the US-Georgia Charter for Strategic Partnership.
A stalled EU accession process
Georgia’s EU aspirations, formalized through its 2022 membership application and the granting of candidate status in December 2023, have stalled.
The European Commission has cited backsliding on key reforms, particularly the controversial “Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence,” as a major obstacle.
By June 2024, the EU declared the accession process effectively halted, pointing to setbacks in rule of law, governance, and human rights.
The Georgian Dream’s decision in November 2023 to postpone EU accession until at least 2028 drew sharp criticism from both domestic and international stakeholders.
In response, 240 diplomats issued a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to Article 78, prompting swift legislative changes to simplify civil service dismissals under the guise of “reorganisation.” These moves have hollowed out the merit-based civil service, replacing experienced professionals with ideologically loyal but often unqualified appointees.
Consequences of the institutional erosion
The result is a catastrophic loss of institutional memory, professionalism, and policy continuity at a time when global security demands stability and expertise. “The ruling party is dismantling the very institutions that safeguarded Georgia’s sovereignty,” Benya notes. This politicisation of state institutions risks redirecting the country’s strategic orientation away from the West, she writes.
Georgia’s government appears to be steering the nation toward geopolitical isolation. Benya warns that these developments are not merely internal but part of a broader Russian influence operation.
With Russia’s naval capabilities weakened in the Black Sea and its military presence in Syria diminished, a strategically isolated Georgia could bolster Moscow’s power projection across the Black Sea region and into the Middle East.
If left unchecked, these trends threaten to leave Georgia diplomatically marginalized, strategically vulnerable, and morally adrift.
The country’s future in the European and Euro-Atlantic communities hangs in the balance, potentially delayed indefinitely or imperiled altogether. As Benya concludes, “Georgia’s institutional ties with the West are being deliberately eroded, serving Russia’s strategic interests in a region critical to global security.”
Caption: Founder of the Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili (C), waves during Georgian President-elect Mikheil Kavelashvili’s swearing-in ceremony at the parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, 29 December 2024. Georgian lawmakers elected Kavelashvili as the country’s new president on 14 December in a controversial parliamentary vote that sparked accusations of illegitimacy and protests. EPA/IRAKLI GEDENIDZE / POOL
Updated: September 3, 2025 - 13:44
